A New Creation

This week, while in our backyard, I made my first butterfly sighting of the year. In a springtime like no other I have ever experienced, the moment was special because it reminded me that, in a world turned upside down, some very good things never change.

Professionally, butterflies are near and dear to my heart. Jerry and I have photographed them since 1989 and produced several films that have explored their incredible life cycles. This work has always been exciting and gratifying–including the four weeks in 2010 when I raised monarch caterpillars in the family room of our house (yes, I have a very patient wife).

But beyond the sheer beauty and wonder of these magnificent winged insects, there is another reason they have impacted my life so significantly. Spiritually, they are a vivid reminder of the transformation that takes place when we choose to follow Jesus as our Savior and Lord. As Paul wrote, we become new creations–people who can face the trials, suffering, and disappointments that life inevitably sends our way … and do so with a genuine sense of victory and hope. That’s the message of this week’s video., A NEW CREATION

I pray that the Lord will lift your spirit in the midst of the battle, because right now I think we all could use a strong dose of the “peace that surpasses all understanding.” To quote the timeless hymn by Horatio Spafford:

When peace like a river attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll.

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say

It is well, it is well with my soul.

Have a blessed week … and try to find yourself a butterfly.